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This content was published on February 23, 2017 3:36 PMFeb 23, 2017 - 15:36

Former European Parliament president Martin Schulz poses in Bielefeld, Germany, February 20, 2017. Picture taken February 20, 2017. REUTERS/Paul Carrel

(reuters_tickers)

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Social Democrats have overtaken Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in an opinion poll carried out by Infratest dimap for the first time since October 2006, ahead of a September federal election.

The poll put the SPD, which has gained strength since nominating former European Parliament President Martin Schulz as its candidate, on 32 percent while Merkel's conservative bloc was on 31 percent.

The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) was on 11 percent, the Greens on 8 percent and the far-left Linke on 7 percent.